Introducing The Campaign:
End the Exploitation. Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows.
Ending exploitation in TV. Advancing decarceration and dignity.
The #AIRS (Abolish Incarcerated Reality Shows) campaign, led by America On Trial Inc., works to end the exploitation of incarcerated people in reality television. Shows like 60 Days In and Jailbirds profit from human suffering, sensationalize prison life, and reinforce harmful stereotypes that dehumanize those behind bars. These programs are part of a growing “Carceral Entertainment Complex,” where networks profit from incarceration without compensation, consent, or protection for those portrayed. With global reach, these narratives shape public perception and normalize incarceration as entertainment. These portrayals disproportionately impact people of color, distort the realities of incarceration, and worsen the barriers individuals face when returning to society.
Our Mission:
The #AIRS Campaign is committed to:
Ending exploitation in reality television
Restoring dignity to impacted individuals
Amplifying authentic narratives
Holding media platforms accountable
Challenging narratives that normalize mass incarceration
Voices Behind #AIRS:
#AIRS is led by formerly incarcerated people, families, advocates, and organizers who understand the real harm caused by turning incarceration into entertainment. Reality TV distorts lived experiences, reduces complex lives to spectacle, and profits from surveillance without consent or compensation. These portrayals deepen stigma and make reentry and healing more difficult for individuals and their communities. We center real voices — not edited narratives — and work to restore dignity, demand accountability, and challenge the “Carceral Entertainment Complex.”
Join the Movement
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